Best of

the Twin Cities

Best Bloody Mary

Fika at the Swedish American Institute

Don’t you dare spill the Bloody Swede. This perfect brunch cocktail’s impossibly deep shade of red, rendered with a beet pickle brine and tomato-y house mix, is the kind of hue painters or carmakers can spend a whole year searching for. One errant splash would indelibly color any item of clothing that wasn’t already beet red. The bloody’s a rich blend, thick enough you’d believe the ice cubes were not just floating, but suspended. On the tongue, it’s expertly balanced, sweet, tart, salty, and tangy. (Not spicy, sorry: They’re Swedes, after all.) It’s a big, bright taste, a perfect fit for the surroundings. A couple sips in, and you’ll have more than one reason to avoid spilling a single drop.